Years ago, they were all the best of friends. But as time passed and circumstances changed, they grew apart, became adults with families of their own, and began to forget about the past—and the terrible lie they all shared. But now Gordon, the youngest and wildest of the five, has died and the others are thrown together for the first time in years.

And then the revelations start.

Could their long-ago lie be the reason for their troubles today? Is it more dangerous to admit to what they’ve done or is it the strain of keeping the secret that is beginning to wear on them and everyone close to them? Each one of these old friends has to wonder if their secret has been discovered—and if someone within the circle is out to destroy them.

PRAISE FOR THE MOST DANGEROUS THING:

“One of the best novelists around, period.”—Washington Post

“Lippman has enriched literature as a whole.—Chicago Sun-Times

"A powerful novel beyond category"

---Booklist

One of the most acclaimed novelists in America today, Laura Lippman has greatly expanded the boundaries of mystery fiction and psychological suspense with her Tess Monaghan p.i. series and her New York Times bestselling standalone novels (What the Dead Know, Life Sentences, I’d Know You Anywhere, etc.). With The Most Dangerous Thing, the multiple award winning author—recipient of the Anthony, Edgar®, Shamus, and Agatha Awards, to name but a few—once again demonstrates how storytelling is done to perfection. Set once again in the well-wrought environs of Lippman’s beloved Baltimore, it is the shadowy tale of a group of onetime friends forced to confront a dark past they’ve each tried to bury following the death of one of their number. Rich in the compassion and insight into flawed human nature that has become a Lippman trademark while telling an absolutely gripping story, The Most Dangerous Thing will not be confined by genre restrictions, reaching out instead to captive a wide, diverse audience, from Harlan Coben and Kate Atkinson fans to readers of Jodi Picoult and Kathryn Stockett.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Since the publication of her first novel, Baltimore Blues, in 1997, Laura Lippman has won virtually every major award given to U.S. crime writings, including the Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Agatha Award, Nero Wolfe Award, Shamus Award, and the Quill Award. What the Dead Know, published in 2007, was a New York Times bestseller and was chosen as one of the best books of the year by critics at the New York Times, Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, People magazine, Village Voice, and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Lippman has published twelve books to date. Her thirteenth, Another Thing to Fall, is the tenth installment in the popular Tess Monaghan series, which centers on a young private investigator in Baltimore. Hardly Knew Her, a collection of her short stories and a never-before-published novella, will be published in September 2008.

A former Baltimore Sun reporter, Lippman lives in the city and is working on her next novel.

MY REVIEW/THOUGHTS:

In Laura Lippman’s latest thriller, THE MOST DANGEROUS THING, something terrible has happened to a group of childhood friends living in the suburbs of Baltimore. It is the fall of 1977 and these children came from three different families and their relationship was suddenly tainted as a result of the event, and their friendships were changed forever. Lippman’s narrative unfolds to show the point of view of each member of the group. It also shows the strong response and impact on their parents as well. A tragic event that will define them and their lives remains a mystery as no one has the complete story of what really happened. And yet, these friends return some 30 years later to attend the funeral of one of their group.

Gordon, who they called Go Go, has died in an horrible car accident. Go Go had spent much of his adult life battling alcohol addiction so it isn’t really clear if the accident was a result of that, or brought about on purpose. Gwen, one of the friends who stayed in town, is particularly upset by his death. As the others from that childhood group descend on the town for Go Go’s funeral, they bring with them all kinds of unanswered questions from their youth. Mickey, the former “bad girl” has blossomed into a lovely flight attendant and goes by the name McKey now. Mickey and Gwen were not that close but Gwen was close to the Halloran brothers, Gordon, Tim and Sean. She was so close to them that she even thought at one time that Sean was the love of her life.

Laura Lippman takes readers back and forth from past to present and slowly, one piece at a time, uncovers the truth of what happened those many years ago. Each of the characters is fleshed out and peeled away layer by layer until you see who they really are. She tells the story from different points of view but mostly from Gwen. Gwen especially is keen on finding out this truth and so are readers who are bound to keep turning pages to uncover the truth themselves. As one will find out, THE MOST DANGEROUS THING can often be the thing we discover to be the one thing we don’t want to find out after all. That is the truth and with it comes more than we may have bargained for. And that is what Laura Lippman is counting on as she has given readers yet another masterful mystery!

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO CHELSEY AND THE GOOD FOLKS

AT MORROW & HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHING,

I HAVE TWO COPIES OF THIS THRILLING

BOOK TO GIVE AWAY TO MY READERS!

--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY--NO P. O. BOXES---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSIN CASE YOU WIN!--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATETOCOUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY:COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT THE MOST DANGEROUS THING THAT MADE YOU WANT TO WIN THE BOOK

+1 MORE ENTRY:BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND LEAVE A LINK THAT I CAN FOLLOW

+1 MORE ENTRY:COMMENT ON SOMETHING FUN AND INTERESTING ABOUT LAURA LIPPMAN BY VISITING HER "FUN STUFF" SECTION ON THE HARPER COLLINS WEBSITE HERE

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+1 MORE ENTRY:COMMENT ON ONE WAY THAT YOU FOLLOW MY BLOG. IF YOU FOLLOW MORE THAN ONE WAY, YOU MAY ENTER EACH WAY BUT YOU MUST COMMENT ON EACH SEPARATELY

First of all your review of this book is absolutely fantastic. I'm very interested in reading this novel. Our past sometimes keeps us from moving into the future and this sounds like a perfect plot for a great mystery. I also found the cover of this novel to be interesting. Its like the bottom is the reflection of the top or vice versa. I found it intriguing as well. I know don't judge a book by its cover, but I find all to often the artists that design the covers of books never get the credit they deserve and I like this cover. Thanks for the opportunity.

This sounds like a great mystery. I like the fact that it goes between the past and the present and is told from several points of view. I certainly want to know what the secret is!mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Well, I would like to know what the mysterious event was. Reading your review, the book reminds me of the TV Show, Cold Case. Things happen in the past but different people have only bits and pieces of what happened, no one has the whole story.

On her main site I went to about her and enjoyed listening to her video about her book,"Life Sentences'. Now I want to read it. It is so intriguing about how our memories are so imperfect. She said that she is intrigued about what we can't remember.

Laura was a reporter for twenty years, dad is an editor/writer, mom is a librarian and sis is a bookseller. That's pretty interesting to me! It's gotta be in the water or something! lol :)mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

I think it's fascinating that this mystery involves a group of friends from 1977 and something happened that they all covered up but all these years later their live and those of their families are still being impacted by it. This sounds like a real page turner!

Aside from just liking everything that Laura Lippman has written, I'd like to read this because I'm intrigued by stories that link a childhood event with adult repercussions. Thanks for the chance to win a copy!

Thanks to all!

Sadly, we will be saying good bye to Bookin' With Bingo early next month. Things just have been too hectic so we have chosen to close down with hopes for a new "BWB" someday. Thanks to all and KEEP READING!